November 2011

if you are ever looking for a fascinating place to see people blending with history and even commerce, head down to los rios street in san juan capistrano. just across the tracks from the santa fe depot lies the the oldest neighborhood in california, dating as far back as 1794. the thing i love most about los rios street is the DETAIL you find lurking around every corner. the birdhouses, the funky store signage, unusual lighting, artistic mailboxes. they've got it all. and a special light that brings it so alive.

this gingerbready style trim adorns one of the old wood houses that has watched over the neighborhood as it has changed and reimagined itself over the years. the food and the shopping down at los rios street are fabulous. i am never disappointed in a day i spend here with family and friends.

having lived in south orange county for almost 40 years, i'm always surprised to find out about something i've never heard of or seen. the old mission cemetary in san juan capistrano is one such place. dating back to the 1860's, the cemetary is the final resting place of many of civil war veterans and the native Acjachemen and Juaneno families from the early rancho period of the capistrano valley. it is also home to many, many unmarked graves. burials of modern day members of san juan capistrano's oldest families still take place here to this very day.

the cemetary is owned by the catholic diocese of orange, who apparently do not appreciate the visits of intrepid blog photographers! while snapping my shots, i was visited by the OC sheriff's department, warning me that taking photographs of this historic site is prohibited. luckily, the deputy let me go with my photos intact.

there is a legend that the cemetary is indeed haunted, perhaps the impetus for discouraging visitors to the site.... the ghost of la llorona, or "the weeping woman" is said to haunt this hallowed ground.

The basic story is that La Llorona was a beautiful woman by the name of Maria who killed her children by drowning them in order to be with the man that she loved, but was subsequently rejected by him. (He might have been the children's father who had left their mother for another woman.) Then, after being rejected by her lover she killed herself. When Maria reached the gates of heaven, she was asked, "Where are your children?" and she replied, "I don't know, my Lord." She was not permitted to enter heaven until she found her children. She now wanders the Earth for all eternity, searching in vain for her drowned offspring. Her constant weeping is the reason for her name.

Taken on May 28, 2011. My Boy Scout troop was putting flags on veteran's graves at the Westminster Memorial Park Cemetary. It was a very somber day. The boys of the troop were so respectful and well mannered. I was so proud of them that day.

Taken 11-5-11 at Fountain Valley High School. The school was riddled with rain smudged rival game spirit posters. It reminded me of my high school days, when the Marina/Edison games were such a big deal.

One thing I love about custom cars, is when people combine their ingenuity with their skills, like welding, and make mundane things absolutely wild. Take a look into the cockpit of this "ratrod" and you might find more than a few examples of what I liked to call - Creativity.